On the use of scintillating fibers to concentrate solar light

Abstract

Optical fibers are a recently new research and the potential use for these fibers has only begun to emerge. Only type of fiber in particular is the scintillating fiber. It is cheaply and readily made out of plastic polymer materials and has great prospective for wave guiding. Due to the newborn nature of these fibers little research is known about their light generated current in comparison to their color, length, or radius. The current output was measured for the above variables using a silicon photo detector or solar cell along with a multi-meter that measured current in micro amps. These variables were manipulated and it was observed that each of the variables plays a significant role in the amount of light generated current that was produced. Knowing the absorption lengths of the fibers, and components that affect their output, allows for further research into how the fibers can be used in engineering mechanisms, specifically in conjuncture with solar cells.